Brooks Chia Seeds

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Chia Seed History

The chia seed, best known for Chia Pet popularity, comes from a plant whose scientific name is Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows in southern Mexico, Central America, and certain southern South American countries like Bolivia.

The chia seed has a long history of being used as human food. It was first cultivated by the ancient Mexicans in 2600 BC. For thousands of years this tiny little seed has been a staple food of the tribes in Mexican and South America. THe seeds are known as the "running food". The aztec warriors relied on this seed to give them energy and endurance during their conquests.

Ancient documents shows that in Mayan times there were four important crops: corn, beans, chia, and amaranth. These four crops comprised the main components of the Aztec and Mayan diets when Columbus arrived in the New World.